


This is the Last Time

by snowtamale



Category: Black Lightning (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Related, Developing Relationship, During Canon, F/F, Ficlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 13:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16787938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowtamale/pseuds/snowtamale
Summary: My take on what happened between Anissa and Grace between 2x05 and 2x07.





	This is the Last Time

“Can you look me in the eyes and promise me you won’t hurt me again?”

Anissa looks Grace in her eyes. The words are there, at the tip of her tongue. She opens her mouth, trying to will the words to come. But she just gapes at Grace wordlessly. 

She meets Grace’s eyes and Anissa could stare forever.

But Grace wants an answer and Anissa’s never been good at lying when things are so _intimate_. She looks away for a second but it’s long enough that Grace reads the avoidance as her answer.

“That’s what I thought.”

It isn’t until the mattress shifts as Grace tumbles off the bed that Anissa finally finds her voice again. 

“Grace don’t just walk away. Grace.”

Grace doesn’t turn back, doesn’t acknowledge Anissa. She stomps towards the door and Anissa sits up, almost ready to jump the length of the bed but the door slams.

“Grace!”

Anissa falls back onto the mattress with a groan. She likes Grace. Cares about her even. But following through in her relationships has never been Anissa’s strong suit. She knows how to be fun and flirty. And she’s never let a relationship get past that point. 

Before, she hid behind the excuse of school.

Now, she hides behind the fact that it’s hard to commit herself to anyone who doesn’t know _all_ of her. There’s not exactly a guide on how to break the news that you’re a super-powered vigilante. And it’s not the kind of thing she wants to tell many people. 

Grace might be the first person she’s dated that she’s considered telling. But at every opportunity, Nissa takes the coward’s way out. 

Anissa gets dressed and leaves Grace’s place with an awkward wave that Grace doesn’t return. 

Leaving like a coward. Again.

———

Anissa can’t stop thinking about Grace. She can’t stop thinking about the words that keep getting stuck in her throat. She’s distracted through her day and before she realizes what she’s doing, she’s standing at the back entrance of the bar. 

It’s a matter of minutes before the door swings open and Grace walks out.

“Grace.”

“If you need a drink you can go inside. I’m off the clock now,” Grace says, brushing past Anissa without so much as a sideways glance.

“I’m trying,” Anissa pleads to the back of Grace’s head.

Grace scoffs, but turns her head to actually look Nissa in the eyes, “are you?”

“Grace. You know I am,” Anissa continues, “but-”

Grace turns back to her car with a sad smile and unlocks the door.

“There’s always going to be something else.”

“Grace-”

“You drop by when you want to. You text me back when you want to. You call me when you want to. This whole-“ Grace gestures with her hands, struggling with the next word, “- _thing_ has been on your terms.” 

Nissa wants to refute Grace’s words. 

But it’s all true. 

Their entire relationship has been on her terms. She’s constantly toyed the line between getting Grace to care about her while keeping exclusivity off the table. She’s a dick. She knows that.

So she says nothing.

“You say you care about me. But you don’t act like you do. They’re just empty words Nissa.”

“Grace. I do care about you,” Nissa chases Grace’s gaze, trying to make eye contact to convince Grace of her sincerity.

Grace holds her gaze for a second before she speaks again, bitterness dripping from every word, “Yeah. And this is a relationship.”

Okay. Ouch.

“This _is_ a relationship.”

“This is me fucking away your pain when you feel like you need me. This isn’t a relationship.” 

Grace shuts her car door and starts the engine. Nissa doesn’t move out of the way, instead she knocks on Grace’s window until Grace rolls it down.

“What else is there to say?”

“What can I do?” Anissa tries, one last time. 

“Nissa-” Grace’s voice softens and it makes the next words hurt even more. “Is it even worth it?”

“What can I do?” Anissa asks more strongly, refusing to entertain the idea that their relationship wasn’t worth it. 

For a long moment the only sound in the parking lot is the low growl of Grace’s car idling. Anissa is ready to ask again, what she can do when Grace finally speaks. 

“Show up. For something other that sex.”

“I can do that.”


End file.
